Thursday, July 28, 2011

Whew, 28 days, that's a long time... Not many days left, though. Here we go...

1. Sleigh Ride by Bing Crosby With The Pete Moore Orchestra-Vocal Backing: The Johnny Evans Singers, from the last album he recorded before his death, Seasons (Polydor PD-1-6128, Stereo, 1977). Seems quite fitting that the man who practically invented the popular Christmas song should record a Christmas song among his final recordings.

2. The Bells Of St. Mary's by Charles T. Chapman from the only 7" of the season, A Carillon Recital From The Luray Singing Tower, Luray, Virginia (Lauck & Co 7" 45 RPM EPM-101, Mono). This is a 4-song EP recorded from the Carillon near Luray Caverns in VA. You knew I couldn't go long without throwing in some music on the carillon.

3. Hallelujah Gathering by David Carroll And His Orchestra, Vocal Sounds By The Dick Williams Singers from Happy Feet (Mercury MG 20846, Mono, 1964). This has been in the stack for a couple of years, and I finally recorded it last night. Not bad. I guess this was old-school bandsmens answer to the The Beatles.

4. My Favorite Things again, this time performed by Alfred Newman And His Orchestra from Alfred Newman Conducts Selections From Fiorello! & The Sound Of Music (Capitol T 1343, Mono, 1960). I'm running out of things to say about the umpteenth version I've shared of a song that is barely related to anything Christmas. Sorry.

5. Snowfall, by none other than Claude Thornhill And His Orchestra from Dinner For Two (RCA Camden CAL 307, Mono, 1956). I'm not positive, but I think this may be the actual hit version, collected up on a budget record.

6 & 7. Toyland-March Of The Toys, in both stereo and mono by The Silver Strings, Directed By Aron Michelle, from the LP The Wonderful Warm Mood Of Victor Herbert (Hi-Fi Sales, Library In Sound 9902, Mono or Valiant V-4914, Stereo). Funny story. I was all excited because I found the mono copy of this LP, still sealed in plastic. I brought it home and recorded it, but the cover kept bugging me, I knew I'd seen it before. So I plundered the record collection until I found where I'd seen it before, which turned out to be a stereo copy on a slightly different label with a slightly different title. So I went ahead and recorded the stereo copy, and guess what? Two different versions! One is accented with a piano and the other with a guitar. Will wonders never cease!

8. Waltz Of The Flowers, another track from the record Ballets For Children (Twinkle (Premier) TW-41, Mono) for which I do not know the artist. I probably shouldn't even record stuff like this, but you never know...

9. Angels We Have Heard On High by The Choir Of Saint Luke's Church-Richard Webster, Organist & Director With The Pritzen Brass Ensemble-Mitchell Arnold, Music Director from Music From Saint Luke's (St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Evanston, IL 62281, Stereo, 1981). It's so late in the month I'm even running out of tracks like these.

10. The Doll Dance by Leo Addeo And His Orchestra from one of his two contributions to the Stereo Action series, The Music Goes 'Round And 'Round (RCA Victor LSA-2353, Stereo, 1961). The music just goes 'round and 'round the room, then 'round and 'round in your head...

11. Greensleeves, in a vocal, non-Christmas version, by Jane Morgan with orchestra directed by Nick Perito, from the album Lady Jane (Kapp KS-3191, Stereo, 1960). I guess this just goes to prove the old adage, you can't have too much Jane Morgan.

12. Holiday For Lovers (which turns out to be about the vacation type of holiday, sorry) by Mitch Miller And His Sing-Along Chorus from a collection of soundtrack singles, An All Star Parade-Hits From The Movies (Columbia CS 8218, Stereo, 1960). You never know what you're going to get when you pick up a collection like this. Some of them are gold, some just tin.

13. March Of The Toys by Bill Thompson At The Mighty Wurlitzer Pipe Organ from The Music Of Victor Herbert (Sutton SSU 225, Stereo). Yawn.

14. On A December Night, credited to Pope John Paul II, but I don't hear anything here that sounds like a pontiff. Perhaps he sang in the background or something, but there's no other credit on the LP Pope John Paul II Sings At The Festival Of Sacrosong (EOM Records/Infinity Records INF 9899, Stereo, 1979). I believe this is about the birth of Jesus, but it's hard to tell. I think it's sung in Polish, then for some reason it was translated into German, then into English for the liners notes. Your mileage may very, but it's not bad.

15. Snowbird (yes, it's the Anne Murray song, as someone mentioned in the comments) by Franck Pourcel from Theme From Love Story (Paramount PAS-5022, Stereo, 1971). Not too bad.

16. Sweet Little Jesus Boy, the only rerun I know of this evening, by John Raitt, Orchestra Conducted By Pete King from Under Open Skies (Capitol ST1058, Stereo, 1958). Nice song.

And that's it. Here's the download link, come back Friday, Saturday and Sunday for the big weekend wrap-up of this year's Christmas In July!

2 comments:

Good stuff, Ernie! I can never have enough renditions of Sleigh Ride and My Favorite Things -- love it! I'm going to have to spend some time this weekend and check out your earlier posts for Christmas in July.